


A Better Plan

by darthjamtart



Series: How To Succeed In Princess-Abducting Without Really Trying [3]
Category: Enchanted Forest Chronicles - Patricia Wrede
Genre: Collection: Purimgifts Day 3, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-16
Updated: 2016-03-16
Packaged: 2018-05-27 04:01:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6268780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darthjamtart/pseuds/darthjamtart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Princess Serevayan plans a daring rescue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Better Plan

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RobberBaroness](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobberBaroness/gifts).



Her parents, Princess Serevayan was coming to realize, did not understand the gravity of the situation. 

“Tamsin is my responsibility,” she tried, since they had always been quite firm about responsibility.

“As a citizen of our kingdom, your maidservant’s safety is of course a matter of concern to us,” her mother said. She did not, Serevayan thought, look particularly concerned.

“We will of course bring the matter up for discussion at the next review of our diplomatic relations with the dragons,” her father added. “That should be within the next year or so, right, dear?”

“I believe so,” her mother said, nodding.

“If that’s all,” her father prompted, and Serevayan drew in a deep breath and nodded. She would just have to rescue Tamsin herself.

She dressed practically, in sturdy riding leathers and light armor, rather than the formal garb she was required to wear on her usual tours of the kingdom. The kingdom of Vanistath stretched far to the north of the Mountains of Morning, bordering it for only a scant few miles on one southern tip, and Serevayan had trained all her life to defend her kingdom from invading armies, ogres, and wizards. Dragons, despite their proximity, had never been a problem, given Vanistath’s historically excellent relations with their winged neighbors.

_Knowledge is the greatest weapon one can wield,_ Serevayan thought, remembering her lessons. All she needed now was a plan.

Any fool could charge into the Mountains of Morning and demand battle against some dragon or other. But with no guarantee of success at defeating said dragon, Serevayan didn’t see how that would necessarily help her in retrieving Tamsin. She had, however, gotten a decent look at the dragon in question. “Young, with blue-and-lavender scales,” she murmured, and set off to demand a meeting with the king of the dragons.

***

“Well, this is different,” said the woman who answered the doorbell.

Serevayan lifted her chin, taking in the dusty apron and long black braids of the woman in front of her. “I am Princess Serevayan of the kingdom of Vanistath, and I demand to see King Kazul at once,” she announced. “Kindly inform her that I am here.”

The woman crossed her arms. “I don’t want to be rescued,” she said. “I’m very happy as Kazul’s chef and librarian.”

Serevayan blinked. “I’m not here to rescue _you_ ,” she said. “Some young dragon is ignoring our border relations and has abducted my maidservant. I want her back. Immediately.”

“Ah. Vanistath.” The woman squinted, one hand fiddling with one of her braids. “Your kingdom starts in the shadow of that ridge over there, right? I’m Princess Cimorene.” She ducked a quick, shallow curtsy. “Come with me; I’ll see if Kazul is available to sort this out.”

Serevayan followed Cimorene through some corridors, several of which were piled with books, treasure, and other assorted debris. “I’m sorry about the clutter,” Cimorene said over her shoulder. “Oh, watch out for that helmet! It’s just that we’ve only just moved in, and Tokoz left rather a mess.”

“I quite understand,” said Serevayan, who didn’t. Her own castle was impeccably maintained.

“Oh, good,” Cimorene said, and then they entered a large cavern where a large dragon was poring over a battered-looking scroll.

“Cimorene!” The dragon said. “I was just going to call for you. Here, look at this.” She thrust the scroll at Cimorene, who looked at it, then narrowed her eyes and peered at the very top.

“I could have sworn I just filed a more recent version of this treaty,” Cimorene muttered, and Kazul grinned, showing an alarming number of teeth. Serevayan straightened her spine.

“That’s what I thought,” Kazul said. “Excellent. Who’s this?”

“This is Princess Serevayan of Vanistath,” Cimorene said, and Serevayan stepped forward.

“Another princess volunteering? I hope you haven’t started a trend, Cimorene.”

“Oh, no, apparently there’s been some mix-up with her maidservant,” Cimorene replied.

“A young dragon with blue-and-lavender scales has abducted my maid, Tamsin,” Serevayan clarified. “This is a clear violation of the pillaging and marauding restrictions laid out during the last diplomatic meeting between our kingdoms.”

Kazul waved a claw. “That would have been with King Tokoz, but I’m sure you’re right. The young dragons are always getting confused about borders. All those fields and forests look the same when you’re flying, you know.”

“Do you know who might have taken her?” Serevayan asked.

Kazul hummed thoughtfully. “Sounds like — oh, I’m not sure that dragon’s chosen a name yet. Yes, I believe so.” Kazul rose with surprising grace for a creature so large, and led them out of the cave.

They walked for quite some time along stony ridges and dusty paths. A few times, Cimorene and Serevayan had to help each other over and around large boulders. It was nearing dusk by the time they reached their destination, a small cave, where Kazul rang the doorbell.

Tamsin appeared in the entryway, mere steps ahead of the dragon who’d abducted her. “I already told you, I can’t make cherries jubilee without cherries,” she was saying, and then she saw Serevayan and stopped short. “Oh.”

“Oh, what?” the dragon asked, then caught sight of Kazul and said, in a very different tone, “Oh.”

“Yes,” Kazul said, eyeing Serevayan’s crown, which was still quite fetchingly displayed on Tamsin’s head. “I can see how the error occurred. Nevertheless, I think you had best return Princess Serevayan’s maid.”

“Yes, your majesty,” the dragon replied, hunching down and looking sheepish.

“Oh, cheer up,” Kazul said. “By the time your horns grow in, maybe you’ll be able to spot a real princess when you go about abducting one.”

“Yes, your majesty,” the dragon said, sounding much perkier, and then Tamsin was throwing herself into Serevayan’s arms.

“I knew you’d come for me,” she whispered, and Serevayan clutched Tamsin, holding tight, murmuring apologies for the ruse that had led to Tamsin being abducted in the first place.

“Well, now that that’s settled, I hope you’ll be my visitors for the night,” Cimorene said. “It’s getting too dark for you to make the journey home.”

“Thank you,” Serevayan said, “for everything.” Tamsin’s hand was warm in her own the entire walk back to Kazul’s cave, and they would face any new adventures together.

**Author's Note:**

> Things I wanted to include but didn't manage to fit in: Serevayan and Tamsin's prior (and largely egalitarian) adventures, additional references to other fairy tales in which a princess and a maid swap clothes to further the plot, lesbian makeouts (maybe in another few adventures). The Enchanted Forest Chronicles is such a good venue for re-imagined fairy tales; maybe next time I'll actually manage to fit in a few more details from those stories.


End file.
